Lose 2 Win A Novel Method to Motivate Weight Loss Maintenance Among College Students (L2W)

University of Minnesota (UMN)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Obese; Overweight

Treatments: Behavioral: Financial incentives for weight loss maintenance; Behavioral: Bi-weekly in person meetings with a Registered Dietician

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02021383

20807 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

1207S16661

Details and patient eligibility

About

Investigators are conducting a randomized controlled trial with overweight and obese college students on the University of Minnesota campus. The primary outcome will be weight loss measured 12 months after study enrollment (corresponds to 10 months after the end of treatment).

Full description

Approximately 30% of college students are overweight or obese. Intervening on excess weight early may eliminate obesity-related morbidity. Evidence supports use of monetary incentives to encourage weight-loss; questions remain about the efficacy of contingency management on weight loss maintenance.

"Lose 2 Win" contests in which participants who achieve weight-loss goals are eligible for cash prizes, appear well-suited for implementation on campuses. Our objective in this two-phase trial is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of Lose 2 Win for weight-loss maintenance among college students.

Enrollment: 144 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 24 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18-24 years of age
• University of Minnesota Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior
• Plan on enrolling at the U of Minnesota through Spring 2013
• BMI greater than or equal to 26 and less than or equal to 35.5
• Have working internet and phone access
• Ability to read/write English
• Ability to safely engage in exercise

Exclusion criteria

• Currently pregnant or breastfeeding
• Prior or planned weight loss surgery
• Having a special diet or being a member of an "organized weight loss program"
• Diagnosis of Diabetes
• Have had Binge Eating Disorder
• Have lost greater than or equal to 10 pounds in the last 3 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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144 participants in 3 patient groups

Contest Plus

Experimental group

Description:

The Contest Plus group were eligible to receive the financial incentives for weight loss maintenance at three monthly follow ups; weeks 16, 20 and 24. Eligible participants completed online surveys and in person weigh ins verifying weight maintenance. In addition to the financial incentives, participants in this group had bi-weekly in person meetings with a Registered Dietician during phase 2 (week 16-24) of the trial. They also received an in home scale to monitor weight daily.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Financial incentives for weight loss maintenance

Behavioral: Bi-weekly in person meetings with a Registered Dietician

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

The Control condition did not receive any intervention and were not eligible to win the lottery based incentive. Participants completed follow surveys (weeks 16, 20 and 24) and received remuneration for completing surveys and in person weigh in.

Contest Only

Experimental group

Description:

The Contest only group were eligible to receive the financial incentives for weight loss maintenance for maintaining weight lost at three monthly follow ups; weeks 16, 20 and 24. Eligible participants completed online surveys and in person weigh ins verifying weight maintenance.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Financial incentives for weight loss maintenance